It’s been a crazy summer with lots of great times, but also lots of challenges.
How do you navigate your way through the mad times? This summer has been one of those times! There have been fearful moments – the health scare, sitting in a doctor’s office wondering if a diagnosis was about to rock my world. Then the moment a few days later when I discovered, no I’m fine, it’s fine. And I realized how out of my control life is sometimes. There have been wonderful opportunities, gifts - things I couldn’t have wished for, because I can’t control even the things I desire. There have been struggles and disappointments too, hard stuff, when life presents those uncontrollable dilemmas. Through it all I see the threads of battle and brokenness and blessing, that inevitable combination that I realize is an integral part of walking with God. So how do you respond?
I know how at times I’d like to respond. I know how sometimes I’m compelled to respond when I’m forced to face deep seated wounds and fears. And then I think of how God wants me to respond.
“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” Ephesians 6: 13
This verse has so many incredible insights but it’s the very end of the sentence that has been on my mind: and after you have done everything, to stand.
When the prayers are prayed, the Scriptures are spoken, and the songs are sung, what then? When you have done everything you know, what does it mean to stand?
I wonder if it means different things at different times, depending on the battle. There are times when to stand has meant to speak up, other times it’s required silence. This time I have the image of a marathon runner, just putting one foot in front of the other. Level and steady, no flash displays of athleticism, just doing what they’ve always known to do. They breathe properly and keep running.
And so that’s where I find myself right now. Just doing what I know to do; to pray, read the Bible, to worship, be in community, spread the gospel. I’ve no magnificent surge of faith or revelation. When I’m bored, it’s one foot in front of the other. Overwhelmed or overjoyed, its one foot in front of the other. Through the tears, its one foot in front of the other. I’m on His path, so I breathe in deeply, and I keep running
